Judicial Cooperation Treaty between the counties of Flanders and Sussex
In their great wisdom, the Lords ZeroStar, Count of Sussex, and Lillin Count of Flanders wish to express and seal ties of friendship between their counties/duchies through a judicial treaty which will ensure this friendship remains true for generations to come. Article I 1. Upon the signing of this Judicial treaty, the contracting parties agree that no one should flee from legal proceedings or attempt to escape from his/her Duke's authority on his/her lands. 2. A citizen accused in one or both counties must follow the laws and customs where the offense was committed. Article II 1. If an accused person flees from a county/duchy represented by this treaty, in an attempt to avoid prosecution, he will be either extradited or judged, by mutual agreement between the duly appointed judicial authorities upon whose lands he was arrested and the duly appointed judicial authorities of the county/duchy where the crime was committed. Concerning the mutual agreement, it implies a full cooperation between prosecutors and judges from both counties involved, in order to ascertain that the defendant will receive a judgment equivalent to the one he would have received if he hadn't fled. The accused should also be provided a competent defense council by the County in which he is arrested. 2. The procedure will be the following : - Indictment on demand by the duchy/county holding jurisdiction over the place where the crime was committed. The requesting duchy/county prosecutor will write the bill of indictment. The pieces of evidence against the accused will be transmitted by the requesting duchy/county to the responding duchy/county prior to posting of the indictment. - The whole procedure is under the primary jurisdiction of the requesting duchy. The Local responding Judge will write the sentence, but will show motives of his decision according to the law of the requesting duchy. - Cooperation is required between judicial authorities from both duchies in order to insure the laws of both the requesting and responding duchies are respected. Article III 1. The representatives of justice (The Captain of Police, The Sergeant of Police, The Sheriff, The Public Prosecutor, The county Judge) from the duchy/county will collaborate together to create an archive of police records between the county of Flanders and the counties of England. 2. Any criminal offense committed in the duchies/counties represented by this treaty which the accused has committed before, while in another of the duchies/counties represented by the treaty, will be considered as a second offense. Article IV 1. This treaty is the symbol of the friendship existing between both counties/duchies party to it. Its validity is unlimited in time, so long as both concerned parties remain loyal to their King 2. This treaty creates no obligation of mutual defence. Article V 1. Lords, their heirs, and successors are contractually obligated to respect this entire treaty. Disregard of any clause(s) within this treaty frees the other party of his commitment until a compensation is made/or an agreement can be reached. 2. A unilateral cancellation of the present treaty in a peacetime context should respect the following order, otherwise, it would be assumed as a hostile act and could lead to a response by the offended party. 3. To Cancel: A mail from the Duke/Count will be sent to the other Duke/Count, then an official and formal declaration will be published in the other duchy's Inn. Copies should be posted in the Embassies as well 4. Cancellation won't stop procedures already in progress between either duchy/county and will continue until judgement is rendered. 5. In the event of a war being officially declared between the duchies/counties party to this treaty, its actions and effects will be suspended immediately upon the publication of the war declaration, for such time as the conflict will last, and until a formal annoucement of peace or armistice has been published. All actions started before the war declaration will be allowed to proceed according to the treaty. The present article addresses only acts that would be committed during times of war. 6. A full or partial rewriting of the treaty or even his cancellation can be decided by mutual consent. Signed in the Embassy (place) the (date)... In the name of the County of Sussex: Zerostar In the name of the County of Flanders: Witnesses: Wyn - Judge of sussex